Getting Started with Lisk

A Lisk ID is one of the most important parts of the Lisk ecosystem, it is how you recognize and interact with your unique Lisk account.

What is a Lisk ID?

You can think of your Lisk ID as your email or account number, on the blockchain. You can share your Lisk ID with anyone, but make sure to never reveal your passphrase to anyone, as whoever has it would have full access to your account and all of the funds associated with it.

A Lisk ID is created based on a user’s passphrase, a string of 12 words that are generated, completely at random based on the mnemonic BIP39 word list. This passphrase is run through the Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm (EdDSA), ED25519 to be precise, giving the user a public key. This public key is then run through the cryptographic hash function SHA256. The first 8 bytes of the output are reversed and an “L” is appended to the end to signify that it is a Lisk public address.

The complex process behind creating a Lisk ID means that every ID is unquestionably secure and entirely unique, making the chance of a ‘collision’, where two addresses that are exactly the same exist, practically impossible.

How do I get a Lisk ID?

Getting a Lisk ID is free, quick and extremely easy. Lisk also offers one of the most secure, transparent and meticulously designed wallets in the world. It has never been easier to begin interacting with, and understanding, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.

In order to get started you first need to go to the Lisk Hub page and click the “Download Lisk Hub” button, following all instructions as required to install the software on their device. At this stage you will have the Hub downloaded on your device, but you will not have a Lisk ID yet.

It is recommended to carry out the following steps of this process in a relaxed environment and in a private place, rather than somewhere public like a cafe. Although it may seem unlikely somebody could always see your passphrase and note it down or take a photo of it. This would grant them full and irrefutable access to your account and funds. You also do not want to risk accidentally missing a word when writing down your passphrase because you were in a rush.

At this stage, you need to open the Lisk Hub application, click “Create ID” and move your mouse around the background of the application to create your unique Lisk avatar, associated with the Lisk ID. The ID is unique to each user and cannot be changed.

You will then have their unique Lisk ID and begin the security procedure, wherein their passphrase is revealed to them and they are responsible for noting it down and securing it. This will be the only time that the passphrase is revealed.

Please do not rush through this process. Should you lose your passphrase you will not be able to regain access to your Lisk account. Write down the 12 words that make up the passphrase and store them somewhere safe, ideally in more than one location, but in a place that only you have access to. It is not recommended to store passphrases on digital devices as they can be hacked.

There is a heavy emphasis within the Lisk Hub on making sure that the user has their passphrase noted down, including a brief test where the user fills in two of the words in their passphrase. This is randomized and designed to ensure that the user is not simply clicking through the process but genuinely paying attention.

The aim is to make the process of registering a Lisk ID as seamless as possible, whilst ensuring users are safeguarded against making any mistakes.

Getting a Lisk ID is a simple first step to using blockchain technology, as well as a powerful tool to interacting with the wider Lisk ecosystem. The process of setting it up has been specifically designed to be as seamless and secure as possible.

To further secure an account it is advised to initialize the address. As an address is an abbreviated public key it is less resistant to collisions. As soon as an outgoing transaction is made, the public key is recorded onto the Lisk blockchain and becomes resistant to collisions. This is done by sending one outgoing transaction from the address. The transaction can even be sent to the same address, it is simply about sending a transaction across the Lisk network. Essentially, making one outgoing transaction, no matter how large or small, and to any address vastly improve the security of a Lisk address.

Voting on Lisk

Voting for delegates gives Lisk users the opportunity to choose who they trust to secure the Lisk network and validate the transactions that are sent on it. It also allows users to make their LSK tokens work for them and earn rewards for voting.

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